Jewel Cichlids

Hemichromis bimaculatus


Origin West African rivers
Maximum Size Six inches theoretically -- four in real life
Longevity 10 years
Housing 10 okay but big tanks work better
Security Females need cover at breeding time
Temperature Prefers 75 to 82
Attitude Stands up to larger cichlids. Not always the winner.
Sexing Difficult to distinguish discernible differences
Breeding Not that hard
Foods Not picky
Water Will live in old, yellow water. Prefers it cleaner

Origin: Jewels come from some of the west African rivers, not the Rift Lakes. Jewels kick bootie. Do not mix them with community fishes. We have here an African cichlid that mixes best with North, Central, and South American cichlids. In the wholesale listings, we find them listed with the American cichlids (ditto the kribensis). Jewels stand up to oscars twice their size. They cannot, however, stand up to Rift Lake cichlids. Mbunas skin ’em alive.

Name “Jewel” refers to the little iridescent sparklies (the maculatus or “spot” in their scientific name) that cover their bodies -- not their colors, and certainly not their personalities.

Spawning These little rowdies spawn about as easily as a Dempsey, but have fewer fry because they stay smaller. Jewels would spawn as easily as convicts if you could sex them as easily. You can’t tell the sexes apart by color or finnage -- even by size. You have no clue to their sexes until you see your pair defending a clutch of eggs. You pretty much have to let several of them pick their own partners. Put some ceramic (excuse me, they’re all resin these days) caves in a cichlid community tank and watch them whale on the Dempseys for possession. Put in several caves and rocks to avoid serious battles for spawning territories.

Conditioning Give your jewels a variety of foods to plump them up. Plump them up! Flakes and pellets first, then give them the right size frozen foods. Small earthworms contain secret secretions that puts a surge in their urge to merge. Ditto on mealworms snipped in half. You’ll see a change in color, belly size, and aggression level. If you see their breeding tubes appear, get ready to pass out cigars. Chances are, you’ll miss the whole process and find them protecting a patch of wigglers by the time you know what’s happening.

hi cichlid commander thank you very much for the profile but can i ask you to move it into the "sticky species profile" at the top of the page please, as if i move it you will lose all right to edit it, cheers clunk!

Oooh i can do a couple of those for ya landlubbers.

That's a fantastic looking fish.

I'd imagine it'd prefer hard water ?

Thanks Kana. Yes i keep the water and ph nice at the right levels for them. Keep in mind though that the ranges for these fish are very forgiving.

So they dont need to be kept in a high pH then ?

Nah jewels are not rift lake cichlids, so a soft acidic water is just fine for them, like kribs. They are great fish too. Mine was not the Red Forest variety, but still pretty, and meaner than a red river steer.

Ah right thats what i was wondering about

No prob. They are pretty cool fish to boot. I like having the african shape with out the ph hassel. But of course if you are buying africans from a breeder you want match his ph, high or low.

This is why I like getting fish that are not wild caught. Its just to much hassle

Exacamently!!